Lowrance is arguably the biggest and best name in fish-finder technology.
We use Lowrance sounders on our kayaks and love how easy they are to use yet how powerful their key features are.
Lowrance does a reasonable job of explaining its range on its website and social channels, but we thought we could expand on this with our buyer’s guide to the Lowrance fish finder range to help you find the best Lowrance fish finder for you.
This is a professional grade fish finder for a mid-range price offering touch-screen technology and wifi connectivity along with Lowrance’s Active Imaging transducer to produce crystal clear sonar images
A professional-grade unit with a touchscreen, the Active Imaging transducer, the highest level of wireless and wired connectivity, and great performance. It also offers Lowrance’s LiveSight technology
In this guide, we will explain the following:
- Lowrance’s three lines of fish finder
- The key features of each
- Which is the best Lowrance fish finder for fishing habits
Lowrance’s Fish Finder Range
The three lines of fish finders offered by Lowrance are the Hook Reveal series (aimed at casual anglers), the Elite Ti2 series (for most serious fishermen and women), and the HDS series (for dedicated hard-core fishers).
We’ll go through each of these below.
Before we do, it’s worth covering the many features that are included right across the three ranges:
- Genesis Live Mapping – fills in charts with real user data
- FishReveal
- Solar MAX low glare display
- Micro SD capacity (up to 32GB)
The Hook Reveal is Lowrance’s entry-level range. But don’t let that fool you because these fish finders are packed with features. With the Triple Shot model, you get conventional sonar, structure downs, and side imaging (the Split Shot models don’t have side imaging), along with Lowrance’s FishReveal technology, which applies the colored fish arches to the monochrome down scan images. This is a game changer across the whole range but arguably is most important in these entry-level models. What we mean is an experienced angler who has used fish finders for years will pick up the more subtle returns that indicate a fish on down scan. But for someone less experienced, this technology results in more fish being found and caught!
The other area where the Hook Reveal series excels is simplicity – they are as close to plug-and-play as you can get in a fish finder. The automatic settings are all that most anglers will need for the successful operation of their fish finder. Not having to fiddle with the settings and scroll through complex menus means more time fishing and more time catching!
The Hook Reveal range doesn’t have touch-screen technology or wireless connectivity, so if these are important to you, the Elite Ti2 and the HDS are better choices.
Lowrance has pitched these at the serious hobbyist – anglers that fish every other weekend and are focused on success. It’s a professional-grade fish finder for a mid-range price and thus offers great value. The Elite Ti2 is a significant step up from the Hook Reveal series as offers touch-screen technology and wifi connectivity allowing you to connect to your phone, share waypoints with others and connect up multiple units without cables. The Elite Ti2 uses Lowrance’s Active Imaging transducer to produce crystal-clear sonar images.
This is where things get really interesting – the HDS is Lowrance’s professional grade line with a touchscreen, the Active Imaging transducer, the highest level of wireless and wired connectivity, and great performance. It also offers Lowrance’s LiveSight technology – which offers a real-time view of the water column and fish behavior. This allows you to follow your lure down into the feeding zone and see how fish react. It’s another valuable tool for your fishing arsenal that helps set Lowrance apart from the competition.
These also come with the Active Imaging 3D enhancement, which brings increased detail and structure definition, with a reduced Noise level.
In terms of connectivity, the HDS Live series has a wide range of wired and wireless connection options. It connects seamlessly to your smartphone and offers the ability to cast video from the phone onto the fish finder screen on the larger screen models. You can also connect to an electric trolling motor as well as radar and share data such as waypoints and charts wirelessly. The SonicHub technology allows you to enjoy all your favorite music on board.
The Key Features of the Lowrance Fish Finder Range:
Here are the key things to consider when buying a Lowrance fish finder.
Transducer Type
The main thing to note here is all models across the various ranges incorporate side imaging. In the Hook Reveal, there is an option to select the SplitShot transducer, which keeps the cost down but doesn’t include side imaging. Go with the TripleShot transducer (highly recommended), and you are covered for side imagining. The Elite Ti2 and the HDS Live range use the Active Imaging transducer, which offers improved image performance.
Screen Size
- Hook Reveal: 5,7 and 9 inches
- Elite Ti2: 7, 9, and 12 inches
- HDS LIVE: 7, 9, 12, and 16 inches
Connectivity
- Hook Reveal: no wireless connectivity options. Ethernet connection.
- Elite Ti2: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, ability to download software updates and connect to an electric trolling motor.
- HDS – wifi and Bluetooth connectivity, ability to download software updates and connect to an electric trolling motor. Plus, Radar connectivity, SmartSteer for on-screen control of your electric trolling motor, and SonicHub to enjoy all your favorite music onboard. Livecast functions display mapping, satellite, and weather app imagery from your phone and streaming content from your phone.
Live Sight
Only available on the HDS Live. LiveSight allows you to see how the fish react to your lure or bait.
Screen
All models have the Solar MAX low reflectivity display. Hook Reveal doesn’t have a touch screen. The Elite Ti2 has a standard touch screen, and the HDS has a touch screen with the pinch-to-zoom capability to see charts and images up close easily.
Price
In the smaller sizes, is it possible to get a Hook Reveal in 9-inch or a 7-inch Elite Ti2 for under $1000? Step up to the HDS, though, and you are looking at considerably more, especially when you step up beyond the 9-inch version.
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Which Is the Best Lowrance Fish Finder for You?
We’ve tackled this in the same way Lowrance does, really – by making you think about what kind of an angler you are and making a choice from there. But because we aren’t a big corporate brand, we thought we’d have a bit of fun with our personas below while trying to help you out at the same time.
Weekend Warrior
You might have kids, a busy job, a mortgage, and a limited number of days on the water. When you sneak out for a fish, you don’t want to fiddle with various setup options – you want to get out on the water and start reeling them in.
If that sounds like you, the Hook Reveal will soon become your best friend on the water. It is simple to use right out of the box, and the intelligent automatic settings will be fine for 99% of your fishing. Life’s complex enough without your fish finder adding to the drama. With sidescan as standard and FishReveal, the Hook Reveal is perfect for kayak and small boat fishermen and women.
Devotee
If you aren’t fishing, your spare time is spent thinking about fishing. You rarely come home empty-handed and are using your technical capabilities to become efficient and effective with your fishing. If this sounds like you, then the Elite Ti2 is your ideal partner in crime. This is a professional-grade fish finder that’s priced very competitively. There is a full range of scanning modes, Genesis Live Mapping, touchscreen display, and wireless connectivity options via Bluetooth and standard WiFi, allowing software updates and connection for an electric trolling motor.
Totally Obsessed
You are either a true fishing obsessive, and if you had your way, every waking moment would be spent out on the water, or you are a pro or semi-pro angler. The HDS Live boasts all the features you’d expect to put on your fish, and then there’s the Live Sight technology that allows you to see how the fish react to your lure. No need to waste time on dormant fish or fish that aren’t feeding! The HSD Live is also set up to maximize your day on the water with a connection to your smartphone, allowing you to play tunes of streaming video via the fish finder.
How to Read a Lowrance Fish Finder
For anglers just starting out with sonar, maybe you’ve just bought a Hook Reveal – well, check out our guide on how to read a Lowrance fish finder for some great information on interpreting sonar images and determining fish and how they are behaving and the exact make of structure.
Best Lowrance Fish Finder Accessories
Lowrance Sun Cover:
Protect your Lowrance fishing finder from the sun’s harmful rays with this Lowrance sun cover
Trolling Motor
The perfect accessory for your Hobie kayak or other craft.
Might Max AGM battery
For kayaks and small boats, this 12V 9ah battery gives enough power to operate a fish finder for several days without charging.
